


just like a song

by glitterxgold



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Feels, Fluff, Happy, Hurt/Comfort, I Am Sorry, I am terrible with tags, Inspired by Music, Sad, Song Inspired Prompts, Songs, TWs at the beginning of each chapter, first time posting pls be patient, open to requests!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26449681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glitterxgold/pseuds/glitterxgold
Summary: just some short stories inspired by songs.if there's a song you'd like to see here, feel free to request!please note these will be au's, and sometimes, the male characters will be loosely based off the boys, so please don't be weirded out if some things are completely out of character.enjoy!x
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. betty - Taylor Swift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alejandra bc i love you so much](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=alejandra+bc+i+love+you+so+much).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warnings: use of alcohol; post-breakup feelings; sadness/hints of depression

_insp._

_betty - taylor swift_

Luke sat alone in a dimly lit corner of the bar, playing with the clear liquid inside his shot glass. Apart from the barman, who barely seemed to register his presence there, only two other people sat, on the other side of the room; a girl, and a boy. He was kissing her, and she looked happy. A first date, maybe? A one-night stand? He wondered, a flimsy spark of curiosity inside him, but it was not that it mattered to him anyway. The ghost of a smile danced on his lips for a second, as memories flooded his rather intoxicated brain, but bitterness took over and he downed the remaining of the alcohol in front of him in one swift motion, relishing in the burning feeling on his throat for a little longer.

He was pulled back from his thoughts by the buzzing of his phone in the back pocket of his jeans for the God-knows-what-time that same evening. When he shot a quick, uninterested glance at it, the lock screen signaled 20 unread texts from various numbers. He unlocked it, at last, scrolling hastily through them, most of them from the same person.

_“I miss you. When are you coming back?”_

_“Is it me? Was it something I did?”_

_“Please let me know if you’re okay”_

_“We haven’t talked in ages…”_

_“We had so much fun all summer long. Remember?”_

Luke did remember, and every time he thought about it, he just wanted to let himself drown in self-loathing. Fuck, he remembered all too well. How naïve he had been, thinking that filling that empty bed would’ve filled the gaping hole in his heart as well. If anything, it only made it worse. Every night they’d spent together, after the bliss had died down, tidal waves of regret would just crush him. Every morning he woke up beside her, he’d just feel disgusted at himself for letting that just go on without a word. He motioned to type something back, but promptly admitted defeat. What was he supposed to say that didn’t make him sound even more pathetic?

 _“I’m sorry, I don’t really feel anything for you, you deserve better”? “I hate myself for this”? “Kissing you and trying to just feel something kills me a little bit every time I realize you’re not **her** ”?_ Or, the stupid and bitter truth: _“Sometimes when we kiss I let myself believe you are **her,** and that things are okay, and I didn’t fuck everything up that night”?_

It all made him sound stupid, pathetic, miserable; it all made him sound heartless and despicable, exactly what he was. He realized, with a wry chuckle, that nothing would ever feel like _**she**_ did. The sheer electricity that coursed through his veins whenever their lips touched. The pure, unadulterated joy that just bubbled up inside him and made him feel whole (and shit, did he miss feeling whole…). For one brief moment, he let himself listen to the music that was playing on the bar, and the _fucking irony_ of it all almost made him laugh at how cruel the universe could be sometimes – but if that was his payback, he totally had it coming. He could still sing along to every word and tap to every beat, as he’d done so many times when they’d sung it together in his car with the windows down. The moment replayed in his mind like a picture-perfect movie. The sun glow on her hair framed her face like some sort of golden aura, and the memory hit him with such brutal force he closed his eyes – the two of them young, loud, reckless and drunk on cheap wine, shouting to the song on the radio as if they didn’t have a care in the world, an damn it, it was the happiest Luke had ever felt.

His mind then drifted to a conversation he’d had with a friend just the previous day. Rumor was she was no longer in town; she had moved somewhere different a while back. Maybe she couldn’t bear looking at all the places they’d been so happy at, either, but how stupidly arrogant of him to think she still remembered… or that she still cared.

Perhaps it was the fact that he was definitely drunk by now; maybe the liquid courage just made everything seem more… tangible, but Luke considered showing up at her doorstep, and the whole scenario just unfolded before his eyes; she would be throwing a party, like the ones she used to throw at her parents’ house whenever they’d go out of town. She’d pull him in for a hug and a kiss, after so long, and it would still feel the same, as if no time had passed at all. They’d go and sit in the backyard, gazing at the stars like before, and they would talk for hours about how much Luke regretted what happened the night it all ended for them. And she’d understand he was young and stupid and so, so, incredibly sorry, and maybe they’d dance together to no music at all but their own hearts beating. And they’d kiss again, and again, in front of all the friends Luke used to hate. Or maybe (Luke also thought, bitterly), she’d just tell him to go fuck himself and shut the door in his face. And the worst part: he’d deserve it.

He got up from the bar stool, left the bill on the counter without even waiting for the change, and left. He took a deep breath, the freezing winter night causing a pang on his chest and making him shiver. He pulled a cigarette from his back pocket and took a long drag, hoping to warm himself, the smoke cloud forming curious shapes against the cool air. He walked home, kicking the gravel at his feet mindlessly. When he passed by the street she used to live in, he looked. It was dark, and silent, and empty, and it would probably remain that way.

He kept walking, trying not to think too much of it. Reaching his own apartment, he turned the keys on the lock and entered, hanging his coat and taking his shoes off. He let himself slump on the couch, tiredly. His head was starting to hurt, and he could sense an unpleasant next day. But there was still a bit of liquid courage inside him, so he reached for his phone.

He scrolled for her number, though he didn’t even know if it still was the same. His fingers ghosted lightly over the keyboard, and it took him a moment to realize he was actually typing words. _“I miss you. I was so, so fucking stupid. I still love you; I think I always will. I’m so sorry”_

Without missing a beat, he hit the send button before he could even process what he was doing, but he was also too drunk to care.

I thought once more of how much he missed her, and maybe a tear was running down his face, but he had no way to be sure of that. He dozed off on the couch, knowing he’d wake up to a hangover and an unanswered text.

Either way, he had to let it off his chest.

_(Kiks)_


	2. scar - ashton irwin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please note these are inspired by the songs in the title, which doesn’t mean they will necessarily be based off every aspect of the lyrics. it’s just the general inspiration and frame of mind that matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warnings - depression, sadness, numbness, light swearing

_insp. - scar by ashton irwin_

Lia rested motionless on the bed, where she had remained since that very same morning. She vaguely recalled getting up to do some basic things, like going to the bathroom. Yeah, she had probably done it at some point, but her brain had barely registered the fact. The blinds were half shut, allowing only a few streaks of light in, which got dimmer, and dimmer as the afternoon faded into yet another night.   
It had simply been one of those days - grey, shapeless, vague. The tiny little annoying voice in her head kept repeating the same thing, taunting her, haunting her, and she just couldn’t find the fight in her to shut it up. 

_Look at you. Pathetic. You can’t even get up from bed, what a waste of space.  
What would your family think, Lia? Do you think they’re proud of this? _

Her phone, too, rested on the nightstand, ignored for a while. She turned her head slightly, to look at it, as its screen lit up in the half darkness. Yet another text from Ashton, it read five simple words: “ _I’ll b there in 5”_

She let out a sigh: her chest felt like an elephant was sitting on top of it. It was hard to breathe. Fuck, it was hard to _feel_ anything, which was even worse than the vague sadness that invaded her some days. Slowly drowning in her own thoughts, she barely realised time was passing. A soft knock on her door pulled her out of her head.   
  


“Lia? You in there?”   
  
Of course. He had a spare key. 

Ashton opened the door just enough to peek inside, only to be met by a heartbreaking sight. Lia was only half covered by the duvet, lying still, sparing him a look in his direction at the sound of the door opening. Things were scattered all over the dimly lit bedroom. Stepping inside and slightly opening the blinds, he took a good look at the girl’s face: dark bags under her eyes gave a tired look to her pale face, and her usual easy smile was nowhere to be seen. She looked exhausted and barely reacted to the sudden change of lightening.   
  


He took a seat beside her in the bed.   
  


“Hi” - he greeted 

Lia looked at him in the eyes and forced a smile.   
  
“Hi” - came the faint reply

”Tough day?” - Ashton asked, though not sure he was expecting a reply

He certainly wasn’t expecting what happened next. Sitting up slightly, she hid her face on his shoulder and hot tears streamed down her cheeks. A choked sob left her. 

“Hey, hey, baby, what’s wrong?”   
  
The crying went on, as if a broken dam was finally letting out all that it had been holding. 

“I don’t know, Ash, I-“ - Lia could barely form a coherent sentence with the scattered thoughts in her brain - “I’m broken” 

The boy’s arms tightened gently around her.   
  
“You’re not. I promise. You’re not” - he reassured, the best he could - “it might feel that way now, but it will get better” 

Lia looked at him the eyes, their gazes meeting. It broke Ashton to see that look - so dull, almost devoid of light, almost as dimly lit as the very room they sat in. 

“What if it doesn’t, Ash? What if it never gets better, and in the end I’ll just have nothing and no one, not even myself?” 

The question hovered above them for a few seconds. Ashton sighed, and gently caressed Lia’s messy hair. 

  
“I know how hopeless these days feel. I know it feels like there’s nothing else for you, but there is. _There is something more_ , love. And we’ll get there together” 

Silence, for a bit more. Lia’s crying had slowly faded.   
  


“How do you still want to stay with me?” - she asked

”How could I not?” - Ashton replied, smiling, leaving a kiss on her forehead 

“I barely got out of bed today. I-“ 

The hazel-eyed boy interrupted her sentence right there.   
  


“Why don’t you go take a shower while I tidy all this a little?” - he suggested, receiving a nod and some slight movement from Lia’s side - “then we’ll order takeout and watch some stupid movie” 

Lia smiled for the first time and nodded, agreeing with his plan. The numbness seemed to be slowly leaving her heart. Though her brain still felt heavy and clouded, her overall state felt better, as a hint of positivity seeped through her ever so negative thoughts. Lia could never be sure how long these small moments would last, so she savoured this one. With a hand under her chin, Ash gently tilted it up, so she was looking directly at him. 

“You know, there’s no need to hide when it gets tough. I’m here. I love you”

As their lips touched lightly and Lia got up from bed, headed towards the bathroom, a little warmth was starting to melt her demons’ icy grip on her. Maybe her scars were there, yeah, and maybe they’d always be there. And maybe, some days, it would all get a little too much. But, in the end, there was always a little love, a little light at the end of the tunnel.   
  
She remembered Ash, always so ready to pick up her pieces. And the other people in her life who didn’t want to leave her alone either. 

Something worth fighting for.   
  


(Kiks)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked it! i know things get hard sometimes, but I also know there’s a lot of fight left in you. believe it will get better. 
> 
> “break down the door, there’s something more” ❤️


End file.
